Muir Matheson

1911 - 1975

Musical director and composer. Matheson was born in Stirling, and educated at Stirling High School and the Royal College of Music. He made a major contribution to British film music between the 1930s and 1970s. His scores included Henry V (1944) and Hamlet (1948), both starring Sir Laurence Olivier. In addition to composing music for films and classical concert pieces, he arranged and orchestrated the music of others.

Matheson was appointed a director of the new Scottish independent television company, Grampian, in 1961 and composed the theme which was played each day before transmission began. This theme became part of his suite From the Grampians.

Matheson's cousin, Cedric Thorpe Davie (1913-83), was an academic but also an equally famous composer of film scores.

He died in Oxford (England).

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